


Regrets

by caitastrophe8499



Category: Malice in Wonderland (2009)
Genre: F/M, Movie Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-01 23:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6541882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitastrophe8499/pseuds/caitastrophe8499
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One shot. The trial scene from Whitey's point of view, hopefully adding a bit of insight to the romance that wasn't really explored. Highly recommend seeing the movie before reading. You will be lost otherwise. Also, testing the waters to see if there are any Malice fans out there (please, let there be more). Rating: T, for violence and language. Seriously. Lots of language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regrets

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing.

Gunshots broke through the party sending people screaming and running for the doors. I followed after Harry and the others, trying to get a word in without seeming desperate. Desperate got you killed in a place like this, just look at what happened to Gonzo. I didn't see any sign of Alice. Maybe she scarpered, maybe she'd already gotten away.

Rex the Executioner, retired executioner, grabbed a blonde up from the bar, dragging her towards Harry. She was struggling, hair in her face, but I recognized the dress.

 _Fuck_.

I leaned in, keeping my voice as calm as I could, "I'll take care of her, Harry. I'll do her right, you'll see." She didn't need to die. I could still fix this. I had time.

"Too late," Harry told me, no sympathy at all. "Tart larceny is a serious offense. I need to set an example." He stepped away from me and raised his voice, "Rex! Trial."

The crowd surged forward, bloodthirsty animals, the lot of them. I stayed still and a spotlight dropped on me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

The girl was shoved forward and she stumbled towards me. "Whitey!" she gasped, still managing to look relieved among all these bastards.

Rex followed and looked at his employer, saying with obvious satisfaction, "A trial."

"Whitey, what's going on?" Alice asked me, not getting too close. "What trial?"

"Whitey, counsel for the accused," Harry ordered.

 _Ass_. I stared ahead. I wasn't going to be able to do a lick of good here.

"Rex, prosecution. Everyone else, the jury." Harry grinned as the crowd around him cheered.

"Alice, dear," Harry said, leaning towards her from his throne. "Best of British luck, eh?"

Alice glanced at me, her voice quavering just the tiniest bit, "Am I going to need it?"

"Counsel for the defense is not allowed to speak," I muttered.

"So technically, yes," she answered.

"Charges?" Harry spoke up.

"Yeah," I told her. Luck, an isolated explosion, a fucking miracle. Something.

"One theft of truck containing six prime prostitutes and non-payment of hairdressing fees," Hattie said, pointing her finger at Alice. Bitch.

"How do you plead?" Harry asked, managing to sound shocked. Shock about theft, coming from a bloke who killed a man not less than ten minutes ago. It was impressive, really. Maybe I would have enjoyed this little show had I not actually been worried. The girl didn't stand a fucking chance. Not against Harry Hunt. Not against-

"I plead diminished responsibility," Alice said, her voice carrying as if she weren't defending her life.

I glanced at her. Shit, but this bird had some brass ones.

Harry laughed, "Diminished what?"

"Responsibility, yeah," I found myself speaking up. "She was wrong in the head." Alice looked over at me, silent thanks coming through her eyes.

"Objection, defense has spoken," Hattie shouted.

 _Slag_ , I thought.

"She's off her head," Harry said, clearly disbelieving her.

"Completely," Alice told him. "Damaged the medial temporal lobe, caused by his cab."

 _What?_ I looked over her.

"I'm suing for damages," she continued. "He should be off the streets and behind bars."

"What?" I asked.

"Defense spoke again," Hattie shouted.

Shit. I looked at Alice. She looked scared again.

"Contempt of court!" Harry screamed. And then, in a change of tone that only the truly insane could perfect, he calmly stated, "Throw him out."

I felt two pairs of hands on my shoulders and then I was being dragged backwards out of the room. Alice lost her cool and reached out, "Wait, please!"

"Do her," Hattie yelled.

"Surely he can-" Alice tried to say.

"Do her!" Hattie screamed again. Things were degenerating. There was no hope left for her. And my useless arse was being dragged out into the alley. Alice stared at me and I couldn't think of a fucking word to say. She swung back to face Harry and address Hattie's screams.

"Do not! Look, I'm sorry about your ladies, but my head was in pieces…"

The two blokes shoved me out the door and managed to help me down the stairs. I stumbled at the bottom and regained a little of my self-respect, "Wankers!"

The laughed and headed back in. I started off down the alley. Fuck it, whatever. I was done. I washed my hands of it all. I shoved my hands in my pockets. There was nothing for it. I couldn't go back in, they'd blow my fucking head off. And then Alice's. If they hadn't done already.

I sighed, looking at the ground. Poor bird had no chance. My watch bounced off my chest, catching my eye. Dammit. Nope. Not now.

I stalked a few more steps down the road. My watch caught my eye again. Fucking hell.

Stopping, I grabbed the piece and flipped it open.

It was broken. Had been for fifteen years. Stuck on the same damn time - 7:07. My da's broken watch. Never looked at it usually. Wore it 'round my neck and forgot about it most of the time. My da was a bit of an idiot. Married a bird who didn't love him. Took every penny he had and in exchange the old man got me. Hardly a fair tradeoff. All he had left at the end of it was this stupid fucking watch. I wore it as a reminder – don't trust birds. Don't trust anyone but yourself. Don't be responsible for anyone but yourself.

But Alice…

Come on, you twat. The girl was gone. Time to get gone yourself.

And yet, there I was ten seconds later, still standing there, staring at that broken fuckin' watch.

What could I even do? It's not like I could just run in there, snatch her, and get out before Harry put a bullet in my brain. Maybe, if she were here…if she were here, I'd take off fucking running until she got home. And then, well, fuck if I knew. But she wasn't. She was as good as dead and I-

"Run, run!" Alice screamed from in front of me.

How the hell…? I reached out for her, it was impossible. I looked over at the stairs and saw Harry and the rest of the jury grouping at the top.

"Run!" Alice yelled, leading by example. I shut my watch and took off after her, getting jostled by the crowd around us. I looked back, seeing the whole motley crew of them – Hunt, Rex, Hattie, Jack, all of them coming after us, smelling blood in the air. We hit the street and the crowd split, most of them running away from me and Alice. Didn't blame them.

Alice led us into an alley, as if she knew where she was going. It was just the two of us now, running for our lives. I heard a gunshot and flinched.

"Faster!" Alice panted, a few steps in front of me.

I was sure as hell trying. Another gunshot gave me an extra burst of speed. My da's watch bounced hard off of my chest. I heard a third shot and my watch slammed into me as if it had been shot at-

Oh. I hit the ground hard and figured it out.

I heard people cheering, and that bastard Harry was laughing. Someone else was screaming, but they didn't sound happy. "No!"

Alice dropped to her knees next to me. She grabbed at my shoulder, trying to lift my head up. Silly bird was crying. I reached to touch her, managed to brush her shoulder. Never thought I'd have someone crying over me when I went. Felt kinda nice.

"No," she repeated, quieter now.

It was hard to breathe, what with the gunshot and everything. I looked at my wristwatch – my shackle, she called it.

"Don't die," she told me. "I won't let you die."

Nice sentiment, darlin'. "I'm all outta time," I told her. She'd better get running if she wanted a chance of staying alive.

"No, I won't let you die. I won't," she sobbed.

Stop crying over me, I wanted to tell her. But I just felt so damn tired. So I just looked at her before closing my eyes. I think I felt my head hit the ground, but I couldn't be sure.

That was it. There I was, bleeding out at the seaside, all over a girl. And I didn't half regret it. I think I just would have preferred a little more time.

"Alice…"

* * *

"Fuckin' thing," I muttered, banging on the meter. Broken again, piece of shit. My rabbit's foot swung off the rearview mirror. Today was a bad day.

I was late. Seven minutes late, to be precise. But, if nothing else happened, I might still make my delivery. I just had to keep moving and stop for nothing and nobo-

A blonde girl jumped out into the middle of the street, holding up her arms and yelling, "Wait!"

Like I had a fucking choice. I slammed on the brakes, stopping mere inches in front of her. She didn't even flinch. I stared at her – was she completely nuts?

"Oi, bird, move!" I shouted, jerking my thumb to the side of the road.

She just put down her arms and continued standing there, clearly out of breath.

"I don't believe this," I muttered, leaning on the horn. Still stood there. I threw up my hands. "Look at the time, I'm late on the left," my watch agreed with me. I looked at my right wrist, "I'm late-" There was no shiny piece clicking away at me. "Where's my watch?" I looked around my cab.

The girl held up her wrist and I peered at it. It was my fucking watch! I got out of the cab and she ran over to me. "How's you do that?" I asked her.

She didn't stop, but threw herself at me, grabbing my collar and kissing me like she'd lost me. I put my hands on her waist before I thought it through. Then, with no small amount of effort and willpower, I shoved her off of me. This bint was fucking mental. I heard sirens in the background, but I was just a little distracted.

"Shut up and listen, I don't have long. Your name is Whitey. You're on the way to the coast to pick up a Thai lady-boy as a gift for Harry Hunt, only you're going to miss the delivery and wind up dead. I know. I was there. My name is Alice Dodgson. Look, my dad's a billionaire."

…what? How'd she know about my delivery? "Is this some shitty English version of 'Punk'd'?"

She continued on, talking at a mile a minute, "He controls my whole life and now he wants to marry me off to some German schmuck."

I didn't know whether to nod or shake my head, so I think I did some combination of both.

"So I have to break away now or I might never get the chance again," she said.

I tried to get a word in edgewise, "Just slow down, baby. Just slow down."

Her next sentence made me shut up. "He will post a ten million dollar reward for my return. We can find a way to get the money and get away."

Ten million? Wait…

"'We'?" I asked her, skeptical. Last thing I was gonna do was trust a bird. Even one with ten million dollars and kisses like a drug.

"You choose - $10 million and me now. Or dead at the seaside later."

This was insane. I stared at the ground and then back up at her, wondering if I'd just imagined everything. Nope, she was still there.

"Tick tock, tick tock," she told me.

Fuck. I swallowed, wondering if I should have myself committed. "Dead?"

"Toes up," she stated. Despite her calm tone I saw something flash through her eyes. She said she'd been there?

"Or ten million dollars?" I asked.

"Roughly five million of your cute British pounds," she said, enunciating the last three words. She had a tiny smirk on her face and I knew, I _knew_ , this was going to get me into a load of trouble.

Oh, sod it all.

"Get in," I told her.

She grinned brilliantly and got into the backseat of my cab. I got into the front one and we took off down the road, just as the sirens announced the arrival of the bobbies. I glanced at the bird, Alice, and saw her watching me in my rearview, a smile on her face.

_I bet I regret this…_


End file.
